ROBOTS AND THEIR ETERNAL SECURITY Part 1

ROBOTS AND THEIR ETERNAL SECURITY
Part 1

The words I heard from him was deeply disturbing. At 3 A.M., I still could not sleep no matter how hard I tried. I can feel that the spirit within me is groaning and crying. I prayed and cried to God.

What was that all about? Certainly, what he told me is false and contrary to what the Bible says. My God, the God I am serving, the Savior who saves me is not like that. Are we really serving the same God? Or is he a slave of a cold-hearted tyrant who imposes or forces his will on him?

It was the 7^th day of April and was my co-worker’s birthday. At 6:45 PM, I went to her house to join the celebration. It was fun being with them at first. We sang songs about the faithfulness of God and they even let me speak and give a birthday wish for my officemate and friend.

After dinner, about 8:30 P.M., I am already thinking of going home because there no longer any tricycle in the terminal by 9 P.M. That is when their pastor sat beside me. (My officemate/friend and I do not go to the same church and we do not have the same doctrine.) We chatted a little. He asked me why I did not bring our common friend who is a pastor in my church that night. Then he asked me about the church I fellowship with and its history. Is it evangelical or Pentecostal? He also asked me about how I became a Christian. That is how it all started. However, I never really expected what happened next. Well, I do have a hunch but not exactly, what I expected.

I told him I accepted Jesus Christ when I was in my first year of College but during those periods, I did not serve God yet. I was not yet spiritually mature. So during my journey, there were times, I went back to the old self, I started not going to church and separated myself from my Christian friends. I added that it was only during my last year in college when I finally recommit myself to the Lord after 2 years or so of backsliding…

These are the things he told me after that:

• There is no such thing as backsliding. Anyone who could not stand firm to the very end has, in the first place, never truly accepted Christ in his/her life.

• It’s just apostacy or being partakers but never really a part of the Vine. Those who will be cut off are simply like Judas who never truly understands and accepted Jesus in his life. They are those who will be cut off from the Vine and will be thrown out into the fire.

• After receiving Christ, you are already born again and no one who is born of God will continue sinning (1 Joh 3:9). You could no longer continue to sin because GOD CONTROLS YOU. Just like how a demon possessed a person, the Holy Spirit is now in control of you.

• Your free will is only DURING ACCEPTING CHRIST, that is if you will accept the gift or reject it. When you accept Christ in your life, IT IS NO LONGER YOUR FREE WILL BUT GOD’S WILL. Your free will stops/ends after you become born again.

• Read the Bible in a positive approach. (He cited some verses and said, “Read it in a positive approach.”)

During that time, I only gave him back questions. I asked him about the Vine, the Ingrafted Branches, the Prodigal Son and the Ten Virgins. Well, he never really talked about the Ten Virgins but focused more on the  Prodigal Son , the Vine (John 15) and the Parable of the Sower.

I don’t really have chance to speak because most of the time, he did all the talking. So, I decided to listen because I also want to hear and know their side and what they believe. I don’t want to argue because the Bible said,

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to knowledge of the Truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” 

2 Timothy 2:23

I felt very uncomfortable. I wanted to go home so badly. I started sending text messages to my church-mates asking them to bring me home. It was already 9:45 P.M. The other people which are also member of their church already gathered around us. The wife of the pastor also confirms whatever her husband tell me. I felt I was trapped! I wasn’t use to that kind of way of teaching people. Our Pastor in our church never does that.  I used to o with our Pastor whenever he conducts a Bible Study with Roman Catholics and other (non)pre-believers and most of the time, he gave those people the time to talk. He(our pastor) told us that “the people you ministered to needs time, needs people to listen. You will never  win them to God if you does all the talking and try to impose on them God’s truth.”

I already know about their faith of Once Save Always Save doctrine.  I respect that though I don’t agree with them. My officemate already tried to argue it with me before but we came up with the agreement to just respect each other, besides we both desire to please and glorify God with our lives.  But now? What’s happening? I really wanted to cry but I tried to control my emotions.

Thank God, I was finally able to go home by 10 P.M. My heart was very heavy so I directly went to my room and prayed. I was gravely alarmed by what I heard. Born Again Christians no longer have  free will? What? So am I a robot?

I told my friend/pastor about what happened. He replied, “Palaaway (what he calls me) please???... 1 John 2:26-27… Be firm in your faith.. God is with you. It is better that you will try to avoid them so that you will not stumble and be deceived. Be on guard. Let’s continue to pray for them and show them God’s love.”

I also told another youth pastor in our church and he told me, “You  know your doctrine. Receive what is according to GOD’s Word. Reject what is not.” I also asked him, “When reading the Word, we should not read it in a positive approach, right? There are God’s warning in the Bible, we should not set aside those warnings and read or focus only on those positive or nice verses, right? Because if we read and approach God’s Word that way, it’s like we are ONLY READING WHAT WE WANT TO READ OR HEAR, right? The Word of God said in Jeremiah to just speak or proclaim His word. We should not add flavor or spices so that those who hears will be please.” And he replied and affirmed, “Yes, you should not. WE SHOULD NOT BE SELECTIVE WITH THE WORD.”  The Word of God will speak to you if you humble your self before God. Read the Word with a humble and expectant heart.  It could be a painful rebuke or comforting and encouraging words, but do not try to CUSTOMIZE IT TO SUIT YOU. 

The Bible speaks of people like that in 2 Timothy 4:3-4.

"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

So, I am writing this blog in response to what their pastor told me since I was not given a chance to speak. I don't know if they will come across this blog but in God's time, God will lead them to this blog. 

I will not speak for God. God does not need an Attorney. Instead, in these series of blog post, I WILL LET GOD SPEAK FOR HIMSELF. God challenges you this,

"...know WHOSE WORD WILL STAND ---MINE OR THEIRS." (Jeremiah 44:28)